Bishop Gore 1952scaled

We are a school steeped in history, being originally founded over 400 years ago as Swansea Grammar School by Bishop Hugh Gore in 1682. Initially in Goat Street (a site now part of Princess Way in the city centre), it has since known several names and locations. In September 1853 the school moved, as the boys-only Swansea Grammar School, to Mount Pleasant into a new building designed by the architect Thomas Taylor. The building was extended in 1869 to a design by Benjamin Bucknall.

In 1938 a start was made on new buildings in parkland at Sketty on the West of the town. The contract was suspended in 1940 due to the war and not restarted until 1947. Meanwhile the old school building was largely gutted by incendiary bombs during World War II although some of the 1869 building remains as part of the Swansea campus of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.  After the war in 1952 the school moved to the new building in the Sketty area of Swansea where it subsequently became Bishop Gore Grammar school. These buildings, hailed as a triumph of skill and vision, were the last word in school design. As well as the usual teaching rooms and laboratories there were two gymnasia, a swimming pool, a lecture hall for 200 and the great hall for assembly and dramatic performances which will hold a thousand people. It has been on its current Sketty site since 1952 with a large extension built in the 1970s.

Until 1970, Bishop Gore was an all-boys grammar school, then it merged with the girls' grammar school Glanmôr and Townhill Secondary School to become Bishop Gore Co-educational Comprehensive school in 1971.

We have occupied our present site for over sixty years and it has to be one of the most outstanding locations for a secondary school, with grounds backing on to Singleton Park and Swansea University with spectacular views over Swansea Bay.

The rich background of our school helps us to formulate our mission which is to deliver learning opportunities which combine tradition and values with all that is best of the Twenty First Century.

Some historical images of our school can be viewed Here.